Manchugownandtheyhadalsoputontheirownweddinggowns.LittleMaureeobeawarethattodayecialdayandwasextremelywell-behaved,lyingdocilelybyAmalia’sfeetinthelivihetrailer.Amaliasaidshewashungry,soSheiandYokowentandgothersomefood.RetlyAmalia’seatinghabitsbecamedisorderly.Shestantlypinedofhunger,butwhenfoodwasbroughttohershesaidshewasnothungryandcouldnotpartakeofanything.Sheateonlysoftangelcakeandmilk,refusingallotherfood.SheicarefullybrokeoffapieceofcakeandcoaxedhertoeatandYokomadeherdrinksomemilk.AmaliawasaffixedontheideathatMarkwasherownsonandwasstantlyaskingforhim,soheutirailer.Lavernehaddressedhiminhisbrandnewsuitandtiedhistieforhim,afterwhichshewenttothedressingroomareatogetherselfreadyfortheceremony.Markfollowedherandsawhersittingbeforethedressingtableputtingonmakeup.herface.Hesatoherwithonehandproppinguphisandwatchedherinfasation.

    “Haveyousomethingyouwanttosaytome?”askedLavernesmilingly.Markhesitatedforamomentasifuainofhowtoaskhisquestionandtheontosay,

    “Areyouallgettingmarriedtoday?EveryoneofyouwillbemarryingKingDimitri?Includingyht?Butdidn’tyoualreadymarrymeinthatphoto…?Howcouldyoumarrysomeoneelse…?”LavernehadoakenapicturewithMarkinabridalgown,whichMark’ssimplemindtooktobeaweddingseeBook2.

    “Yes”sherepliedpattinghimlovinglyonhischubbycheeks“Don’tworry.WearealreadymarriedooandIwillnotmarryanyoneelse…ButIamamemberoftheKingdomofDreamsandalltheotherbeautiesseemtothinkitisofgreatimportanttoholdthisgroupweddingandmarryKingDimitriasasortofclosure.QueenAishadidnotobject,either.SoasamemberoftheKingdomofDreamsIamgoingalongwithit.Butdon’tworry,whenthisisoverwewillghasimplecivilservidbelegallymarried.Wewillbeearealfamilyandhavechildreher…”

    20

    “wonderfulthatwillbe!”excimedMark,eyesbrightwithexcitement.“Wearegoingtohaveababy!Ohheavens,wearegoingtohaveababy…”

    “Ireallydon’tuandtheirwayofthought”murmuredLaverne.“Why’ttherestofthebeautiesuandthatKingDimitriisstayingaurposesothatwecouldfindourowiny,ourownfuturehappiness?Hedoesn’twantustoputallsinonebasketandtrateallourhopesandattentiononhimalohatisthecorrectattitude,butwhydoesQueenAisha,whoisnormallysowise,insistonthislope-sidedinfatuation…?Ireallydon’tuand.PerhapsbecauseIhavelongdecidedwhatIwoulddowithmylifeinpursuitofmyoiness,Iotuandtheirpointofview…”LaverneimpulsivelykissedMarkonhischeekatthethought,thehedistinctmarkofredlipsshelefttherecriedout,“Ohno,IfotIhadalreadyputonlipstick!”andproceededtowipeitoffhisroundcheekswithatissue.Justthenchurchbellsbeganringing,mixedwiththebringofhornsfromthefleetofcarsthatearerandhechurygosh!Theceremonyisabouttobegin.Ihadbetterhurryandputonmyweddinggownsoasnottobete…”

    “HeyLaverne”saidMark.“MayIgooutsideandtakeashortwalk?I’llberightback.Iamsoexcited.We’regoingtohaveababy!Letmegoforawalk,okay?”

    “Sure.Butdon’twaoofar.RememberyouaresupposedtosubstitutefDimitriifhedoesn’tshowupfortheceremony…Sotakeyourwalkandebacksoon…”

    Thesecurityguardsawatall,chubbymanwalkdownfromthetrailerdressedinanexpe,withshoesthatwereshioperfe.Asthemanearer,thesec

Manchugownandtheyhadalsoputontheirownweddinggowns.LittleMaureeobeawarethattodayecialdayandwasextremelywell-behaved,lyingdocilelybyAmalia’sfeetinthelivihetrailer.Amaliasaidshewashungry,soSheiandYokowentandgothersomefood.RetlyAmalia’seatinghabitsbecamedisorderly.Shestantlypinedofhunger,butwhenfoodwasbroughttohershesaidshewasnothungryandcouldnotpartakeofanything.Sheateonlysoftangelcakeandmilk,refusingallotherfood.SheicarefullybrokeoffapieceofcakeandcoaxedhertoeatandYokomadeherdrinksomemilk.AmaliawasaffixedontheideathatMarkwasherownsonandwasstantlyaskingforhim,soheutirailer.Lavernehaddressedhiminhisbrandnewsuitandtiedhistieforhim,afterwhichshewenttothedressingroomareatogetherselfreadyfortheceremony.Markfollowedherandsawhersittingbeforethedressingtableputtingonmakeup.herface.Hesatoherwithonehandproppinguphisandwatchedherinfasation.

    “Haveyousomethingyouwanttosaytome?”askedLavernesmilingly.Markhesitatedforamomentasifuainofhowtoaskhisquestionandtheontosay,

    “Areyouallgettingmarriedtoday?EveryoneofyouwillbemarryingKingDimitri?Includingyht?Butdidn’tyoualreadymarrymeinthatphoto…?Howcouldyoumarrysomeoneelse…?”LavernehadoakenapicturewithMarkinabridalgown,whichMark’ssimplemindtooktobeaweddingseeBook2.

    “Yes”sherepliedpattinghimlovinglyonhischubbycheeks“Don’tworry.WearealreadymarriedooandIwillnotmarryanyoneelse…ButIamamemberoftheKingdomofDreamsandalltheotherbeautiesseemtothinkitisofgreatimportanttoholdthisgroupweddingandmarryKingDimitriasasortofclosure.QueenAishadidnotobject,either.SoasamemberoftheKingdomofDreamsIamgoingalongwithit.Butdon’tworry,whenthisisoverwewillghasimplecivilservidbelegallymarried.Wewillbeearealfamilyandhavechildreher…”

    20

    “wonderfulthatwillbe!”excimedMark,eyesbrightwithexcitement.“Wearegoingtohaveababy!Ohheavens,wearegoingtohaveababy…”

    “Ireallydon’tuandtheirwayofthought”murmuredLaverne.“Why’ttherestofthebeautiesuandthatKingDimitriisstayingaurposesothatwecouldfindourowiny,ourownfuturehappiness?Hedoesn’twantustoputallsinonebasketandtrateallourhopesandattentiononhimalohatisthecorrectattitude,butwhydoesQueenAisha,whoisnormallysowise,insistonthislope-sidedinfatuation…?Ireallydon’tuand.PerhapsbecauseIhavelongdecidedwhatIwoulddowithmylifeinpursuitofmyoiness,Iotuandtheirpointofview…”LaverneimpulsivelykissedMarkonhischeekatthethought,thehedistinctmarkofredlipsshelefttherecriedout,“Ohno,IfotIhadalreadyputonlipstick!”andproceededtowipeitoffhisroundcheekswithatissue.Justthenchurchbellsbeganringing,mixedwiththebringofhornsfromthefleetofcarsthatearerandhechurygosh!Theceremonyisabouttobegin.Ihadbetterhurryandputonmyweddinggownsoasnottobete…”

    “HeyLaverne”saidMark.“MayIgooutsideandtakeashortwalk?I’llberightback.Iamsoexcited.We’regoingtohaveababy!Letmegoforawalk,okay?”

    “Sure.Butdon’twaoofar.RememberyouaresupposedtosubstitutefDimitriifhedoesn’tshowupfortheceremony…Sotakeyourwalkandebacksoon…”

    Thesecurityguardsawatall,chubbymanwalkdownfromthetrailerdressedinanexpe,withshoesthatwereshioperfe.Asthemanearer,thesec